


Commissioner Gordon's Last Speech

by shutupmulder



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types, Dark Knight (2008), Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Genre: After, Aftermath, Batman - Freeform, F/M, Family, Multi, Nolan Trilogy, Other, post-TDKR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-05-02
Packaged: 2018-03-22 12:52:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3729640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shutupmulder/pseuds/shutupmulder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Bane's terrorizing of Gotham, a ceremony is held in honor of the people who fought bravely and lost their lives trying to protect the city. Commissioner Gordon is there to talk.<br/>- This is a story of what happened to Jim Gordon after The Dark Knight Rises.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Commissioner Gordon's Last Speech

Today was the big day. Jim Gordon had trouble falling asleep last night, snuggling his face into his wife’s soft red hair trying to think of anything but the upcoming day's events. He found himself going through the speech in his head dozens of times even though he already had memorized every word. Finally, Barbara had turned around, sensing his troubled mind by the way his hands traced along her stomach in a familiar pattern.

“Talk to me Jim.” she had said in her comforting voice, stroking the lines of his worried face with her long fingers.

He sighed. “It’s nothing, Barbara. It’s just.. I just can’t stop thinking of tomorrow.. To stand there and to tell the truth.”

“You’re worried.” She smiled sadly. “I’d be worried if you weren’t worried, love. Yes, tomorrow is a big day, but you will handle it fine like you always do, Jim.” 

He gave her a small smile. 

"I love you." He murmured.

She reached forward and gave him a slow but passionate kiss. She parted with a soft smile playing at her lips.

“I know. And maybe I can make you think of something else.” 

And she did.

-

And so here he was, on the stairs outside the Gotham City Police Department building with a good number of police officers and high ranked government people from all over the country. They newly selected mayor, Mayor Mark Johnson, was there too. Mark Johnson was a man Jim had come across many times during his work as a commissioner and they had always gotten along well, sharing the same opinions on most matters. Gordon was pleased with him selected as Mayor. 

The ceremony was just about to begin and Jim knew he was first to speak. At a given signal that they were ready, Jim walked up to the podium. He pulled out the speech from his pocket and layed it out in front of him, he didn’t even glance at it, but still the paper gave him comfort. Jim looked out at the crowd before him, the thousands of people who were gathered here for the ceremony. After clearing his throat twice and looking down nervously at his hands that were clasped together hidden behind the podium, he finally looked up and started.

“I am Commisioner James Gordon and I would like to welcome you all to this ceremony. The ceremony that honors the people of Gotham who gave their lives fighting for justice. The innocent people who died mercilessly at the hands of evil. The people who never gave up, even when alone in a city of horror and injustice.”

He paused and took a deep breath. 

“However, I am here today, to tell the truth. The truth about Harvey Dent. The truth of what happened eight years ago when Batman took the blame of killing five people, including Harvey Dent. The truth that this city and it’s people deserve to hear and should have heard at the time it happened.”

The enormous crowd was impressively silent, waiting to hear what would come next.

“Harvey Dent was a great man. At the time when The Joker was terrorizing this city, Harvey Dent, Batman and I made a deal. A deal that meant that we would stop The Joker at all costs from destroying this city. And we thought we were succeeding. Harvey’s prosecution imprisoned hundreds of criminals - a big step making this city clear from it’s corruptness and evil.”

He paused a second. 

“But The Joker was good at what he did. We lost many great people. It came to the point where I pretended to be dead - all to protect my family. Harvey pretended to be the Batman and used as bait so we could capture The Joker. Which we did. But The Joker played us all like fools. His intention was to be captured. But his plan was far worse than we imagined. As we lost DA Rachel Dawes and Harvey was burned by the fire from the explosion that should have killed him, things changed. Harvey changed.”

“The Joker’s plan was to turn Gotham’s white Knight into a villain. He chose the best one of the three of us and he succeeded with his plan. Batman did not kill those five people. Harvey did. And he-”

Gordon swallowed.

“Harvey kidnapped my family. He had my wife and my son at gunpoint.”

Jim’s eyes looked past the people in the audience who were listening intently. He did not see them, he was back at that day, seeing his son in front of him, seeing Harvey’s gun to Jimmy's head, hearing his wife’s cries. The pause could have lasted for seconds or hours, Jim didn’t know. But finally he shook his head out of his reverie. 

“But Batman came, trying to talk Harvey out of it. Dent shot Batman and once again pointed the gun to my son’s head, ignoring my pleading for him to stop. But Batman threw himself at Harvey, saving my son and Dent fell off the roof. Harvey was dead.”

Once again Gordon paused, closing his eyes momentarily.

“And to make sure that Harvey’s prosecution would not fall, Batman came up with the idea that he would take the blame. That it was what Gotham needed, that The Joker couldn’t win. So we made up a lie. Batman and I. A lie that meant praising Harvey Dent as a hero, as Gotham’s white Knight, praising the man who killed five people, praising the man who tried to kill my own son.”

The police commissioner looked down once again, composing himself from the anger and dissapointment with himself in his voice as he spoke. 

“And that is the truth. I lied to protect this city from falling to pieces. And it lasted eight years, until Bane came forward terrorizing Gotham. And once again this city was saved by Batman. Gotham’s true hero.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“And now after telling you the truth, I would also like to tell you all of my resignation.”

Murmurs were spreading through the audience. Whispers so loud that he could hear their voices, but couldn't make out any words. Some of the men on the stairs, mostly Police officers, tried to get Gordon's attention.

“Gordon, don’t. No.” one of them said.

“This is not what we want, what the people want.”

Gordon raised his hands, silencing the police men and after a few moments the audience too.

“This is my decision alone to make. Now I would like to thank a few people first. I would like to thank the people of Gotham for holding out through the troubled times Gotham has faced far too many times and, during that time, for giving me the chance to help our city. I would also like to thank the Gotham Police for being as great as they can be - even at times when everything felt hopeless. And last, but not least, I would like to thank Batman, not only Gotham’s hero, but a friend. A friend who supported me, helped me and gave me a hope.”

Jim’s voice had gotten thick, cracking at the last word. He cleared his voice once more before continuing. 

“My time as Commisioner of Gotham has ended. This is entirely my decision and I’m doing it both because of personal reasons and because of the things I've done serving this city. But what I would like to say is that what we have endured the last months proves what the people of Gotham are capable of, which means that I leave this city in the good hands of the Gotham Police.”

Gordon swallowed. 

“Let us all hope for them to make a better job than me, protecting this city.”

Suddenly people were standing in the crowd, many shaking their heads. 

“Commisioner Gordon!” someone shouted.

“Commisioner Gordon!” more voices could be heard in salute.

People were cheering, clapping their hands for him. Jim stood frozen, not knowing what to do. Suddenly the Mayor stood up, making his way towards the podium. Gordon turned and shook Mayor Johnson’s hand. He moved over to the right side of the podium as the Johnson took his place at the podium. 

“Jim Gordon.” he said in a warm, welcoming voice, with his left arm gesturing the man next to him, getting another cheering from the crowd.

The Mayor stood there, silent for a few moments, waiting for the crowd to quiet down, which they eventually did.

“Commissioner Gordon. First of all I must say your resignation is most unwelcome in a time like this, with Gotham’s people having suffered a great many losses already. But it is full-heartedly understood.”

Johnson turned to Gordon.

“Commissioner, I would like to thank you for telling the people of Gotham the truth. I do not think many people here would understand the situation you were in and having so little time to decide how to act with the few possibilites you had. But I believe I do understand.”

The Mayor turned back to the crowd, raising his voice a little louder.

“What I do not know, however, is what you mean by saying that hopefully the Gotham Police will do a finer job than you did. Commissioner Gordon, you have served the Gotham Police for almost 30 years. During all that time you have given this city a safer place to live in. And never did you stop saying that it was the Gotham Police together who saved the city from it’s many dangers. Never. Even at times that it in fact was you who managed to do what no one else was able to do - save the city of Gotham.”

Gordon looked down at his feet, fiddling with his hands behind his back, not having known that the the Mayor was going to make a speech dedicated to Gordon himself. 

“Who was it that destroyed the bridge leading to Wayne Tower with a train that would have destroyed this entire city if reaching it’s target? Who was it that once saved Mayor Garcia’s life, risking his own? Who was it that stopped the detonator from going off, giving Batman time to fly the bomb out of the city?”

Johnson once again looked back at Gordon and the crowd started cheering once again. Jim didn’t know what to do. He had never been very comfortable with people complimenting him, and getting praised in front thousands of people and god knows hos many millions more on camera he suddenly wished he had the ability to disappear like Batman could. He shook his head at the thought, looking up at Johnson and giving him a small smile.

“Batman may be the hero Gotham always will remember, for his heroic actions and.. for his suit.” A laugh went through the crowd. 

“But let us not forget this man right next to me. As he himself has said so many times, he couldn’t have done it without the good men of the Gotham Police or without Batman.. I can safely say that the Gotham Police and Batman wouldn’t have done it without him. So here’s to Commissioner James Gordon! Let us not forget this exceptionally brave, honest and good man - war hero of Gotham - even if he himself would disagree with the title. Commissioner Gordon everyone!”

The chanting and cheering of the crowd was ridiculous, Jim thought, as he shook the Mayor’s hand once again, hearing his name coming from thousands of people’s mouths. He turned to walk further away from the podium when he realised he should do something to acknowledge the people who were cheering his name, so he turned to the crowd, did a little wave nodded his head with a slightly sheepish smile on his face before walking off stage to let the ceremony continue. 

It didn’t take long for him to see the familiar red color of his wife's hair and walked over to her. She stood with a small smile on her face, tears running down her cheeks. They looked at each other for a short moment before he opened his arms for her to step in between.

He snuggled his face in her hair as she she stroked his back soothingly. They stood like that for a few moments before Jim realised people were probably watching so he kissed hair forehead lightly before releasing her.

"I told you Jim. You had nothing to worry about." She smiled at him and he returned the smile. He put his arm around her back. 

"So.. you want to leave this place?" He murmured softly in her ear as they walked a few steps. 

"Jim!" She exclaimed, stopping their walk. "While this ceremony certainly seems like it's a salute to you, it is actually for the people of Gotham. So whether you like it or not, we are going to stay here until the ceremony is over."

"And then?" Jim asked daringly. 

"Then we are going to the after party." Jim started to protest but she continued.

"No arguments. You are one of the main guests invited and you are not going to just skip that party, okay?" She gave him a stern look that reminded him of when she repriminded their children and they started walking again.

"Barbara, you saw what happened here tonight. Do you realise how people will be on me all night?" Jim groaned.

"Of course I do. That's why you have to go. You don't want people to think ill of the Commissioner, do you?" she said looking at him as if there was nothing to argue about.

"You know, I have actually quit." Jim said stubbornly, half joking, half serious.

"Then let's give them a fine last memory of you as their Commissioner. Come on, our seats are here." She pointed out. They sat down and watched the rest of the ceremony, but nothing particularly special, much to Jim's discontent, was said and so he knew he would be the "star" of the night. 

Jim was polite as always through out the evening, even to the the people who were way too complimentary for his taste. Especially some women. For god’s sake, don’t they see my wife right next to me, Jim thought as some women’s intentions were a little too obvious with their hand touching and flirting.

Jim said his goodbye’s to people he had met during the years. He would actually miss some of them he realised. But most of all he just couldn’t way until he and Barbara could leave. Go back to their empty hotel room, with no children - the kids stayed with Barbara’s parents in Cleveland. 

When they arrived in Gotham yesterday Jim had taken Barbara to what was left of their apartment, Barbara had insisted even though Jim told her that Bane’s men had burned the whole place down. As they had walked through the ashes of the place were they had created their family, Barbara had been in tears. Jim had rubbed her back, comforting her. 

“I’m sorry.” She had said, wiping her tears. “I didn’t mean to-. I just… this was our home for so long. All the memories, everything.”

“I know, Barbs.” Jim had said. “I know”. 

And so they had stood in the middle of what was once had been their living room, holding on to each other and the many great memories that had been created there.

Now Jim looked at his wife next to him as she was talking to an older woman. He had failed them, he knew. He had failed his family so badly, ignoring them when they needed him the most - leading to Barbara taking the kids to Cleveland after years of living in a lie that slowly destroyed them. 

But he had gotten them back. After the city was saved he had immediately jumped on a plane to Cleveland, something he had wanted to do since he woke up after being shot and finally realising what a fool he had been. They had sat on the couch, talking for hours (mostly Jim), and then she had forgiven him. The words of her forgiveness still made him feel like the luckiest man in the world.

Jim didn’t hear his wife’s conversation with the other woman, but as he heard Barbara’s laugh he felt warm inside. Gods, how he loved her laugh. Gods, how he loved her. He didn’t just want to go back to their hotel room and show her how much he loved her. He wanted to go back to Cleveland, to leave all the bad memories behind. He wanted a fresh start, with his wife and children and Jim looked forward to making many new, happy memories with the people who mattered most to him; his family.

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for any grammatical errors, English is not my first language.  
> Thank you for reading and I hope you liked it!


End file.
